When was the last time you sat in the dark—on purpose?
Our lives glow around the clock: phone screens, streetlights, standby LEDs. It’s easy to forget that every light we leave on burns energy, money, and, somewhere along the chain, carbon.
This week, try one small, symbolic step: turn off all lights and screens for five minutes. Just five. It’s a pause for you—and a small moment for the planet.
This simple act supports SDG 13: Climate Action, by saving energy, cutting emissions, and reminding us how connected our everyday choices are to the health of our planet.
Why It Matters — The Data
- Lighting consumes about 15% of global electricity and produces roughly 5% of greenhouse-gas emissions. (Source: UN Environment – en.lighten initiative)
- Global artificial light pollution has been increasing by almost 10% per year, disrupting ecosystems and sleep cycles. (Source: Science – World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness)
- Every household that switches off five 10-watt bulbs for five minutes saves roughly 0.004 kWh—tiny for one home, but huge at scale. If 1 million homes joined in, that’s 4,000 kWh saved—the daily electricity use of about 130 U.S. homes. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration)
- Artificial light at night disrupts species interactions, physiology and biodiversity across both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. (Source: “The ecological impact of artificial light at night: Effective policy solutions from a multi-taxa approach” – Jägerbrand et al., MDPI Sustainability, 2021)
Even five minutes of darkness reminds us of something simple yet profound: our control over the switch.
The 5-Minute Action: “Planet Time”
You don’t need a global event to make an impact. Just one evening this week:
- Pick your moment. After dinner, before bed, or whenever screens feel loud.
- Turn everything off—lights, TV, laptop, phone. Candles are fine if you want gentle light.
- Sit or step outside. Notice the sounds, air, and stars you rarely see.
- Reflect. Think about one energy habit you could adjust long-term (switch bulbs to LEDs, unplug idle chargers, or add motion sensors).
- Share the glow. Encourage friends or family to do it too—#PlanetTime makes a great short challenge post.
Caution: Make It Safe
- Don’t turn off essential lights needed for mobility, safety, or medical equipment. Keep paths, stairs, and emergency lights on.
- Families with young children or older adults may want to use dim lighting or a candle instead of full darkness.
- Never use open flames unsupervised and keep them away from curtains or paper.
- If you live in a high-crime or poorly lit area, consider doing your “planet time” indoors rather than outdoors.
Planet Time is about awareness, not risk—adapt it so it works safely for your space.
Why It Works
Darkness resets more than circuits—it resets perspective. By disconnecting for five minutes, we reconnect to the real world outside our screens. Symbolic acts like this raise awareness, spark conversation, and often lead to larger behavior shifts—exactly the kind of cultural change SDG 13 depends on.
This is how large movements begin: with small, repeated pauses that make people notice their power.
The Ripple Effect
If everyone in one medium-sized city turned off non-essential lights for five minutes, it could prevent over 1 tonne of CO₂ emissions in that short window. More importantly, it would raise awareness of energy waste and inspire long-term habits like switching off rooms when leaving them, dimming outdoor lights, or using motion sensors.
Change doesn’t always look like invention or policy—it can look like stillness.
Conclusion
Five minutes in the dark. That’s all it takes to give the planet—and your mind—a brief reset. It’s quiet, peaceful, and surprisingly powerful.
So tonight, switch off, slow down, and enjoy your own “Lights Out for 5 Minutes of Planet Time.” You might just see the world a little differently when the lights come back on.
